Senate Committees

Senate Committees are described in Article III, Section 4 of the Senate Bylaws.

FACULTY SENATE COMMITTEES

  • Executive Committee

    The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers and chairpersons of the standing committees. If the immediate past President of the Senate is no longer on the Senate, he/she shall serve as a non-voting advisor to the Executive Committee. The Senate Executive Committee shall meet regularly with and advise the Provost on policy decisions affecting the faculty, staff, and broader University community. The Committee shall also meet regularly with and advise the Dean of the Medical School on policy decisions affecting the Medical School in its functions as part of the larger University community.

    • Officers (2022–2023)
      • Tracey Banks, president
      • Arjun “Raja” Chatterjee, vice president
      • Saylor Breckenridge, secretary
      • Ellen Miller, member-at-large
      • Simone Caron, past president (from 2020-21, serving at the request of the Senate President due to unavailability of the immediate past president, Matthew Phillips).
    • Chairs of the Standing Committees (2022–2023)
      • Olga Pierrakos, chair of the Committee of Collegiate Senators
      • Michael Cartwright, chair of the Committee of Medical School Senators
      • Melissa Jenkins, chair of Fringe Benefits Committee
      • Ryan Shirey, chair of Compensation Committee
      • Erik Summers, chair of University Integration Committee
      • Gregory Parks, chair of Resources Committee
      • John Sumanth, chair of Athletics Committee
  • Committee on Administrative, Faculty, and Staff Compensation

    The Faculty Senate Committee on Administrative, Faculty and Staff Compensation (CFSC) will endeavor to gather current and past information regarding compensation (salary, fringe benefits, and merit bonus income) for employees of Wake Forest University (Reynolda and Hawthorne campuses). It will make use of existing public information including but not limited to the annual information provided by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and other relevant data routinely made available to federal and state governmental entities as required by respective regulations and law. The CFSC will make regular reports to the Faculty Senate regarding their findings and will be encouraged to contextualize their findings by comparison with other institutions of higher education. The CFSC is charged to work closely with the University Faculty Senate’s Fringe Benefits committee.

    The chairperson of the committee will be appointed by the President of the Faculty Senate. The committee will also consist of elected members of the Faculty Senate who volunteer to serve on the committee.

    • Ryan Shirey, chair
    • Jeff Eller
    • Amanda Griffith
    • Katy Harriger
    • Alireza Lari
    • Ananda Mitra
    • Steve Virgil
    • Brian Young
  • Committee on Athletics

    The Faculty Senate Committee on Athletics (FSCA) will examine and address issues raised in the Report of the Steering Committee of the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics (COIA) and its four appendices (March 2013) paying particular attention to whether and how recommendations and best practices found in the Report should be implemented in Wake Forest University and its Faculty Senate. The FSCA will also address related issues concerning the likely effects that changes in intercollegiate athletics (e.g. the litigation regarding the payment of college athletes; ACC conference reorganization; contemplated reforms in the NCAA; etc.) will have on the University. Two additional charges of the FCSA are to foster transparency and an increased role for faculty governance in various aspects of the Wake Forest Athletics Program.

    The President of the Faculty Senate appoints the chair of the committee and other faculty member(s) to the committee who have particular expertise and interest in such matters. The committee will also consist of elected faculty members of the Senate who volunteer to serve on the committee.

    • John Sumanth, chair
    • Stew Carter
    • Lisa Dragoni
    • Angela Edwards
    • Jimmy Ruiz
    • Julie Wayne
    • Rais Rahman
  • Faculty Senate Committee of the Collegiate Senators

    The Faculty Senate Committee of the Collegiate Senators is generally concerned with important issues related to Wake Forest College and its governance. Its membership consists of the fifteen elected faculty senate members who represent Wake Forest College. The Chair of the Committee is elected annually by the members of the Committee from amongst its membership. Member(s) of the Collegiate Senators may propose issues for the Committee to address. The President or the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate may also formally request that the Collegiate Senators address issues of special importance to the college or the university. The specific agenda of the Collegiate Senators is determined by its chair in consultation with its membership.

    • Olga Pierrakos, chair

    For membership, see the listing of senators from Wake Forest College.

  • Faculty Senate Committee of Medical School Senators

    The Faculty Senate Committee of the Medical School Senators is generally concerned with important issues related to the Medical School and its governance. Its membership consists of the eight elected faculty senate members who represent the Medical School . The Chair of the Committee is elected annually by the members of the Committee from amongst its membership. Member(s) of the Medical School Senators may propose issues for the Committee to address. The President or the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate may also formally request that the Medical School Senators address issues of special importance to the Medical School or the university. The specific agenda of the Medical School Senators is determined by its chair in consultation with its membership.

    • Michael Cartwright, chair

    For membership, see the listing of senators from the Medical School.

  • Fringe Benefits Commitee

    The Fringe Benefits Committee will be a joint committee with the Staff Advisory Council Fringe Benefits Committee and will serve as a conduit of information from the University faculties to the responsible University administrator on benefits issues. When faculty members have concerns with benefits programs, the Committee will present those concerns to the University administration and seek resolution. The Committee will develop and advocate improvements in benefits and report to the Senate. The Fringe Benefits Committee will be co-chaired by a representative of the Senate and a representative of the Staff Advisory Council.

    • Melissa Jenkins, chair
    • Sharon Andrews
    • Tracey Banks
    • Michael Cartwright
    • Ellen Kirkman
    • Emily Pharr
  • Resources Committee

    The Resources Committee will monitor, evaluate, and participate in the University’s program planning, capital planning and other long-range planning processes. The Senate President will appoint one Resources Committee member from the Reynolda campus to serve a three-year term on the University Capital Planning Committee. The Committee will also make recommendations to the Senate involving initiatives with long-term implications for the University or the faculty.

    • Gregory Parks, chair
    • Simone Caron, co-chair
    • Saylor Breckenridge
    • Errin Fulp
    • Adrian Laxton
    • Ellen Miller
    • Lauren Reid
  • University Integration Committee

    The University Integration Committee will initiate implement and evaluate projects and programs that are designed to foster cooperation and communication between the various Schools of the University. Of particular concern to the Committee is fostering joint projects and programs between the Reynolda and Hawthorne campuses of the University.

    • Erik Summers, chair
    • Margaret Bender
    • Kerry A. Danelson
    • Mark Jensen
    • Amanda Kaufman
    • Brett Knicks
    • Olga Pierrakos
    • Barry Trachtenberg

UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES WITH FACULTY SENATE REPRESENTATION

  • Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility

    The Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility is composed of fourteen tenured faculty members of the rank of full professor or librarian with two members elected by the faculty of each academic unit. The members of this committee are responsible for serving as members of panels for the dismissal of a tenured faculty member, as well as addressing other issues related to academic freedom and responsibility. The Executive Committee of the Senate selects the chairperson of this committee. Committee members need not be members of the Senate. The Senate will convene this committee as deemed necessary.

    • Senate Representative: Stew Carter, chair

    Other members are listed on the Provost’s website.

  • University Capital Planning Committee

    Senate Representative: Saylor Breckenridge (2021–2024)

  • Staff Advisory Council
    • TBD, Faculty Senate representative to Staff Advisory Council
    • David Clingenpeel, Staff Advisory Council representative to the Faculty Senate